Borrowed Time
by Little Falcon
Summary: NaruSaku... Love at every angle, betrayal at every turn. Sometimes, its the people who knows you best that can surprise you in ways you never imagined...


**Borrowed Time**

_**Little Falcon:**_ _Hi! *performs a skillful summersault to evade thrown daggers* I know, I know, I should be updating my other stories but this one's a favor for a friend and also its my birthday present for her since I'm so broke. _

_ Anyway, this is probably the first time I'm doing love triangles so I hope it turns out fine. I absolutely welcome any comments… but please not death threats. _

_**Standard Disclaimer:**__ I only own the idea that's all. If I did own this series I'll be the happiest person on earth! _

**Prologue: So Close**

_The full moon, no matter how she looked at it, was foreboding. A gut feeling told her something wrong was going to happen. Blindly obeying her instincts, she stood silently on the side of that road, silently hoping that she was mistaken. _

_ Her heart skipped a beat as her trained senses heard someone's footsteps growing near. She knew to whom it belongs to because she had accustomed herself to be aware of everything about him. _

_**Maybe I'm just paranoid. Maybe he's just taking a stroll. **__The kunoichi tried to reason with herself. Convinced by that weak rationale, she stepped out of the shadows and saw him. That moment was the first time; she didn't wish to see him. Her tearful gaze lingered on his stoic face and finally wandered to the pack on his back. __**He's… he's really…**_

_He didn't even stopped walking as he caught sight of her. "What are you doing wandering here at night?" His voice was cold as his feet stopped for a while. _

_Swallowing her tears back, "Because in order to get out of the village, you have to take this road," she prayed that her voice wasn't pathetically shaking. _

"_Go home and sleep," he passed by her without sparing a glance. _

_Tears streamed down her face unwillingly as she wheeled herself around to not lose sight of him. "Why?" Speaking was painful… but she pressed on. "Why can't you tell me anything? Why do you always stay silent? Why won't you say…"_

"_Why do I have to tell you anything?" His raised voice held a hint of irritation. "It's none of your business. Stop concerning yourself with what I do," he resumed his low distant tone this time. _

_His words cut deep, making her heart wish she was dead. Clutching her chest, her tears ceaselessly trickled down her face, making her vision cloudy. Immediately, she blinked them away. She never ever wanted to lose sight of him… "You've… always hated me, huh?" she finally brought herself to say the things she always denied. _

"_Do you remember the day you and I were here alone? You got mad at me remember?" Those memories were the type that was engraved into her mind. No matter how it turned out, each happy and tormenting moment with him were things she would clearly remember at a whim. _

"_I don't remember," How was this person able to still make her fall in love with him even if he was uttering such heartbreaking words. _

_ "Makes sense, that something happened awhile back," even though she's breathing perfectly fine, her chest felt really tight with each word. "But that's the day everything started. You and I and also Naruto and Kakashi-sensei," she tried to lighten the mood with her tone but she didn't fool anyone, especially not herself. "The four of us completed a number of missions together. They were tough and a lot of work but above all, it was fun," she knew sad memories will make her cry but why does recalling good ones makes her cry harder? With all that's left of herself, she lifted her eyes to look at his back. "I know about your clan but revenge… that won't make anyone happy. No one… not you… or me," _

_ "Just as I thought," his reply surprised her. "I'm different from you guys. I walk a different path than you guys. I tried to think that it was my path to do the things we've been doing up until now. The four of us did things together but my heart decided on revenge in the end. That's my purpose in life. I can't become like you or Naruto," Why does she feel as if this was his way of saying goodbye?_

_ "Are you going to choose to be alone again?" The quiet road caught her tears as one after another fell from her emerald eyes. "On that day, you thought me that solitude was painful! I understand that so well right now. I have a family and I have friends but if you're gone… to me… it'll be the same as being alone," __**Please… I beg of you… stay…**_

___With his hands still inside his pockets his reply was dry and distant. "From here on, a new path will open for all of us,"_

_ Her feet found renewed strength just to take a step to close the growing distance in between them. "I…I love you so much! If you stay with me… I'll make sure you won't regret it; everyday will be fun; we'll definitely be happy. I'll do anything for you… so please stay here. I'll help you with your revenge. I'll do something, so please stay here… with me," she didn't have to wait for his reply to know his answer. "If you can't stay… take me with you," the kunoichi begged with all her soul that he would say yes. _

_ But as he turned around and she saw his arrogant smirk that made her heart race, she ultimately understood that whatever she does… will never be enough. "You really are annoying," a sound of the first step he took as he turned away was louder than anything she ever heard… because with it… her heart shattered to pieces. _

_ "Don't leave!" She was so desperate and she didn't care what will happen. All she knew is that he CAN'T leave. "If you do, I'll scream,"_

_ In a flash, he was behind her, so close that she could feel his warm breath on her nape. "Sakura…" his voice was so gentle as if he was whispering a secret. In just that action, her heart felt whole again. "Thank you…" as she felt her consciousness fade… she heard her silent scream. __**SASUKE-KUN!**_

_ "Naruto… this is the only favor I will ask of you… bring Sasuke-kun back. I couldn't convince him… I couldn't stop him," Sakura didn't care whether she looked pathetic bowing her head at him and crying her eyes out in front of her friends. For her, nothing else matters now. "I'm sure the only person who can stop him… the only person who can save him is... you… Naruto… only you…"_

_ "You really love him, huh," his carefree tone made her tears stop as she looked at him. "I can understand very well the pain you are going through," the pain in his bright blue eyes was somehow invisible to everyone but her. The knowledge that it came from her made her feel immensely guilty but she can't rely on anyone else… there was nobody else. _

_ "Naruto… thank you," she muttered as she hugged herself out of pity. _

_ "I will bring Sasuke back for sure! This is a promise of a lifetime…" with his proclamation, the whiskered shinobi did the "nice guy" pose. Although his hand was obviously shaking, he had this boyish grin that made his whiskers more prominent than ever. _

Sunlight peeked through the thin curtain and tickled her eyes. As she opened her eyes, she felt her cheeks wet with tears. _An old dream… _she easily wiped them away. Before when she dreams about that certain event, she knew why she was crying… it was different this time… this time… her tears were because of hurting one person, who stood by her all these time. Withdrawing herself from his embrace, Sakura gazed at the man still soundlessly sleeping.

His blond hair was still as unruly as ever but longer this time. Those famous whiskers were now slowly fading… making him more like his father. His physique was something he acquired from years of training. He was taller than her now but it would always lean down to steal a kiss from her lips, he never lets her tip toe. His voice was deep and rich but is like velvet whenever he calls her name or when they were alone.

Crawling back to his side, she brushed away a stray strand of hair from his handsome face. "Hokage-sama," Sakura whispered to his ear and made him stir. A smile lifted on her lips as she heard him mumble something incoherent. Rolling her eyes, she shook her head. Without hesitation, she sealed her lips with his. Instantly, his muscular arms snaked around her naked waist and held her closer as their exchange grew more passionate. It took all of her self control to pull away from his enticing lips. "I can see you're awake now," her lips were still swollen and she was still catching her breath while she stared at her grinning lover.

"No, not yet," effortlessly, Naruto switched their positions. With her hands trapped overhead by his, Sakura was beneath him as she received his fierce kisses that made her forget her name. Needless to say, they ended up breathless and tangled in each other's arms after a long rapture-filled moment.

"Mou, you're insatiable as always," she pouted her lips as she tried to steady her racing heart. She heard his delightful chuckle from his chest she was using as a pillow.

It's not like they've given up on searching for their lost teammate. In fact, Team seven's old picture still stands on one side of the room but there were also newer ones… like a picture of Sakura and Naruto: battle beaten, he carried her like a princess. With a charming smile on his face as Sakura planted a kiss on his bruised cheek. It's just that… they decided to give each other a chance to be happy despite being incomplete.

Their first date was the classic example of everything gone wrong but strangely enough Sakura found herself laughing for the first time in a long while. Her journey to heal her self inflicted wounds was tough but Naruto was with her every step of the way.

Now, she almost forgot the things that made her first love special. Everyday with Naruto was a natural heaven. They didn't have to worry about each other's faults because they already the other at his/her worst and weakest… but still fell in love with the other anyway.

"Naruto, we're going to be late," Sakura called from outside as Naruto fumbled into his drawer for something. After a shared bath, they both cooked their breakfast and fed each other playfully before they saw the time.

"Found it!" He shoved it inside his pocket and raced out the door.

The class-S mission assigned to them was difficult but it paid well so the Godaime, Tsunade, gave it to the tandem that had zero failure from the time they worked together. The Hokage and the greatest medic Nin proved to be too much for their opponents as they decided to finally draw back. When their VIP was safely escorted back to their village, Sakura and Naruto took their time in going home.

"Let me see your arm," Sakura stopped walking then removed her black gloves.

A helpless smile formed on his lips. Truthfully, nothing escapes the eye of a medic Nin. "It's nothing, just a scratch," he mumbled but then when he met her fierce glare, he quickly did as he was told.

As Naruto watched his gaping wound close, "I sure am lucky to have you as my girlfriend," he said out of whim that made Sakura blush. When she stood up and said she was going to get some water, Naruto smiled to himself. _I never grew tired of seeing her blush. _Hearing her footsteps nearby, he was about to stand up when her arms wound tenderly around his neck.

"Sakura-chan…"

"I'm the lucky one… for having you," she made him look up to meet her kiss. Their upside down exchange was a private language for them because… their first kiss was such.

Their romantic moment was cut short when their shinobi senses kicked in. Back to back and their kunai in front, Sakura and Naruto saw the number of jounin surrounding them. In a flash, the battle commenced and not a moment after, it ended.

"That's what you get for interrupting our moment," the furious hokage snarled as his unconscious foes. The medic Nin only grinned quietly from a distance.

Her thin eyebrow rose in question as she found a small, dirty, red box a few feet away from her. Picking it up, "AAAHHH!" she heard Naruto yell as his face was the same color as that of a ripe tomato's while he pointed at the box as if it was something life-threatening.

"What is it?" Sakura was about to pitch it away when he yelled again a loud no.

An audible sigh of relief escaped his lips as her attempt to throw it away was averted. Then another sigh followed, this time it was because of disappointment. Dragging his heavy feet towards her, he took the box.

"I was planning on being more romantic than this," he said under his breath as he touched his nape. Stealing a glance at his lover, Sakura's brows were knitted in worry as she awaited his explanation.

Nervously licking his lips, he inhaled deeply as he opened the box. "Sakura-chan…" he heard her gasp.

Suddenly, they both jumped apart upon sensing something targeted at them.

"Hey! I'm proposing here!" Naruto beat up his opponent to work out his anger.

When it was finally silent again, he caught sight of her standing at a distance. Upon meeting his gaze, Sakura flashed him an embarrassed smile that made his knees go weak. The blush on her face made her look more breathtaking that ever. His confidence grew as his heart already heard her answer to his horrible proposal.

Several blades rained on her; expertly, she dodged them all only to see that they were equipped with explosive tags. The ground under her feet trembled upon receiving the blast. Feeling that it won't hold, Sakura was about to run away when a rope shot out of nowhere and pulled her to the depths.

"SAKURA-CHAN!" He was still struggling with is opponents when he saw what happened. His nine-tails aura erupted instantly upon seeing her body dragged down. Standing at the edge of the cliff, Naruto didn't see a trace of her at the bottom or anywhere. "SAKURA-CHAN!" The Kyuubi in him also roared as he wheeled around to finish what remains of his enemies.

_**Little Falcon:**__ I really need to know what you think. So? Read and review please_


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